Monster
by SunaKunoichi18
Summary: A one-shot about the short life of the second jinchuriki of Shukaku. Inspired by the fanfic Blood and Sand by ncfan.


"Look...That's her."

"Shh... Dont say anything. She might hear you..."

"She doesnt even have a name, does she? Man, she's creepy."

"Dont look at her. She'll kill you! She's a monster."

A lone girl walked along the sandy streets of Sunagakure, accompanied by muffled insults and scornful stares from hateful villagers. She wore a simple pale short-sleeved yukata, adorned by a simple white obi tied around the waist, and pants that came just past the knee, as was common for a Suna kunoichi. Her dusty brown locks were pinned on one side with orb-shaped hair ties. She had the appearance of a normal young female shinobi; although her eyes, black rimmed and full of hate, told that she was anything save ordinary. She was the host of Shukaku, the Ichibi no Tanuki, and the second Jinchuriki of the Sand.

Faint dark circles underneath her eyes revealed that she was a sufferer of insomnia, which was imposed on those doomed to the fate of being a vessel for the sand spirit. No one new her name, and some claimed that she had been abandoned by her family shortly after birth, and had never been given one. Most just referred to her as Bakemono. She lived a life of solitude, speaking to no one. Most people simply ignored her, and not a soul could she call a friend.

Few remembered a time when she had been just a small child, timid yet sweet, yearning for attention from those her age. Perhaps they didnt care to remember. Even then, parents had ushered their children away from her. She had grew up alone in a small complex at the edge of the village, her only company being the occasional anbu sent by the Kazekage to check up on her wellbeing.

She became a genin in a short amount of time, and it was clear right away that she possessed a rare talent. The Kazekage was fascinated by her jutsu, and he had her undertake rigorous training to master what was known as the iron sand, an extremely rare kekkei genkai. Only a handful of shinobi in the history of the sand had ever been gifted with magnetism release, and the wind shadow could only assume that her abilities stemmed from being Shukaku's Jinchuriki. In time, he himself learned to master the technique, and would later become the most powerful Kazekage in the sand's history.

Not even Sandaime could control the child, however. And by the time she had graduated the academy, it was apparent that her control over the biju inside her was slipping. She was ruthless to her opponents, and her teammates were terrified as she lusted for the blood of her victims. It eventually became apparent after she killed numerous shinobi who were placed in her three-man cell that she would not be suited for a genin team. The council had begun to see her as nothing but a weapon, sending her on jonin level missions at the age of only 13.

One night, when the moon was full, she lost control over Shukaku, almost destroying the village, and killing many citizens and shinobi. The third Kazekage was able to restrain the Ichibi, and the girl collapsed upon the sand. He picked her up, taking her to a safely guarded area inside the village. The council argued with Sandaime that the girl had become too dangerous, and that something had to be done. But in all honesty, the third had become quite fond of the girl, and he refused to have her killed.

Shortly afterwards, Sandaime vanished, and every time the moon waxed and waned, the girl's sanity began to diminish even further. She began to mutter to herself, conversing with the malevolent spirit inside her, which would demand her to do despicable things. Many people proclaimed that the girl's personality had already been eaten away completely, and only the demon remained. The rumors were only further upheld by the occasional look in the girl's eyes, when she would mercilessly slaughter any who so much as looked at her in the wrong way. No one knew though, all of the cold lonely nights when she would sit atop her roof and gaze at the moon, tears streaking down her face.

Eventually the council ordered her to be assassinated. Without the Kazekage to detain the beast inside her when she lost control, she had became a liability to the village. And in Suna's current state, when they were so vulnerable without their leader, that was a risk they could not afford to take. All assassination attempts failed; however, one night she lost control out in the desert, where she would often go to walk amongst the shifting sands to clear her thoughts and ease her mind. She fainted on top of a dune, and a platoon of anbu were there waiting to retrieve her when she lost consciousness.

The council had ordered the Ichibi be extracted from her body, as she was no longer of any use to the village hidden in the sand, because it was obvious she could not be controlled. Chiyo baa-sama, a skilled woman in sealing jutsu, was summoned to perform the ritual to remove Shukaku from the girl's body. A large seal was made upon the ground, and numerous anbu were stationed around the diagram to assist with the jutsu. One of the members of the council brought a large teapot to seal the tanuki inside, and Chiyo proceeded with the jutsu. This was the second time Chiyo baa-sama had performed the technique, and as the young girl lay immobilized by sealing spells, gasping in pain as the sand spirit was pulled from her body, Chiyo felt remorse.

She had known the other Jinchuriki of Shukaku, a handsome young man who had also been unable to restrain the immense power of the biju. But as Chiyo gazed at the young girl, she could only feel regret that the child hadnt gotten the chance at a longer life. But this was her duty as an honored puppet master of the sand. She felt confident that what she was doing for the village would lead it to prosperity, and then Suna would surpass all of the other great nations.

The girl lay motionless as the last remaining chakra left her body, and she briefly had a fleeting thought that if she died, would she have a purpose in the afterlife? During her existence, she had never been referred to by her name. Monster. Always monster. Now that she and Shukaku would no longer be a part of each other, what was her identity?

Once Shukaku had been sealed, the girl lay lifeless on the ground. She could see herself, and she was satisfied that those who had treated her with disrespect would remember her. They would remember her as a jinchuriki. And when the next Jinchuriki of the sand was created, she only hoped that he or she would be able to find solace in that fact.

Before her spirit faded away, she wondered what would become of her now. It didnt matter, she supposed. As long as she knew that in the future, there would be another Jinchuriki like herself. And they would manage to find purpose in their life. And she felt somewhat at peace, for the first time in her existence. Believing...that one day, someone like her would be known to others as someone other than "monster."


End file.
